Uncertain Partners: Stalin, Mao, and the Korean War

by Sergei Goncharov, John W. Lewis, Litai Xue

Uncertain partners tells for the first time the inside story of the creation of the Sino-Soviet alliance and the origins of the Korean War. Using major new documentary sources, including cables and letters between Mao Zedong and Stalin, and interviews with key Russian, Chinese, and Korean participants, the book focuses on the domestic and foreign policy decision-making in all three countries from 1945 through October 1950. The authors examine the complex relations between Stalin, Chiang Kai-shek, and Mao during the last year of the Chinese civil war and the emergence of the Cold War. They show how the interplay of perceptions, national security policies, and personalities shaped those relations and were used by the North Korean leader Kim Il Sung to win backing for the invasion of South Korea. The authors also examine the Sino-Soviet alliance, drawing on hitherto unknown secret protocols and understandings and the records of high-level planning that led to the invasion and to the Chinese intervention in Korea. The book is illustrated with 42 photographs and two maps and is the fourth volume in the series, Studies in International Security and Arms Control, sponsored by the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford University.

Genres: China, History, Nonfiction, Politics

428 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1993

Reviews

[Jerome Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book on the inner workings of Mao and Stalin’s complex relationship, and how it impacted their decisions to intervene in Korea. the authors examine the strategies of each, their interactions, the politics and concerns behind the Sino-Soviet treaty, and how it all affected the war in Korea.

The relationship between Stalin and Mao was tense, complicated and proved to be insanely dysfunctional. Both had colossal egos and each assumed that everybody else was either a subordinate or an enemy. Stalin would repeatedly test Mao’s intentions, while Mao would yield in such a way that Stalin found it necessary to make compromises of his own.

They waged a war of nerves that exposed the incredible ruthlessness and arrogance of both of them. High politics gave way to a test of wills between two colossal egos, in which Stalin and Mao played out a zero-sum game in which common interests fell by the wayside.

Stalin and Mao viewed Kim Il-Sung as a junior partner and even an amateur. But Kim would play on their strained relations with admirable skill in order to receive their blessing for his own objectives. In the process, Kim restricted his own future options and his ability to hedge against failure.

Kim’s decision to invade the south was never coordinated or even thoroughly scrutinized by Stalin, Mao, or even Kim. Each was operating on secretive premises and facts that were fabricated or at best half-true.

Although a ton of quality research seems to have gone into this superb book, I don’t think one can call it “definitive.” The authors point out the lack of Soviet materials, and are often reduced to citing not the primary sources themselves, but the Russian archivists that have had access to them.

Although the paranoid and often ignorant US government viewed the Soviets and the Chinese as a unified communist “bloc” that was brought together by shared ideology and a desire to destroy the West, nothing could have been further from the truth. Stalin and Mao’s shared communist ideology took a backseat as they struggled for power and stability. Communism usually just amounted to meaningless words on paper agreements.

[Seyoung · Rating 4 out of 5]

gr8 if u wanna learn about the Communist side of the Korean War

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Just the right amount of background, with historical narrative, biographical context and authorial analysis. I learned much about the 45-49 civil war in China, the North Korean / Russian background, but most especially the fascinating, complex evolution of the dance of Russian / Chinese interaction. Remarkable passages of Mao and Chou in Russia, left cooling their heels as critical decisions roll along. Ultimately one is left with the randomness and guesswork of the critical players - about how to act and react to the many changes. One sees - that - no matter what- Stalin would not be drawn into war with the us and yet, that approaches multiple times. Left a bit hanging once the war is properly off and launched (and china has been drawn in), leaving the reader wanting to the authors to finish this story.

[Kelly D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different than I thought. Very little focus on the Korean War. Focused primarily on the relationship between Stalin and Mao before the war.

[Bert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent look at the relationship with the newly created PRC and Russia leading into and through the Korea War. This book reveals a lot of the behind the scenes maneuvering that happened between Mao and Stalin that helps frame the Run up to and conduct of the Korean War.

[Benemint · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh.